Kei

[color=darkblue][size=1]Memphis and Ben, you guys don't have to use spoiler tags. There's a warning about it, so those that come in should expect the series to be talked about openly and fully. Just FYI. Anyway, I must say that I was really taken by surprise with this chapter. I remember before when someone mentioned that Madara was actually one of the founding fathers of the Leaf, but I had no idea that he was the one that orginally approached the First and started the whole thing. It leaves me to wonder how much the higher ups know about how bloodstained their history really is, considering Madara into things. Secondly, I'm not sure I entirely agree to the fact that the Uchiha clan is "lame" now that the full truth behind the Sharingan has been revealed. I mean, yes, it is pretty cruel and outrageous to have to kill your own kin just to complete a technique, but this adds a whole new level to the Uchiha. We knew that they were one of the strongest clans prior to this, but you have to wonder how this has affected them on a mental level (Itachi's "true self," as he called it, is a testament to what I'm saying here). It presents somewhat of an open field to what sort of mental anguish and suchlike that they've gone through generation after generation. I personally find it fascinating, but apparently, that's just me. I personally will still have a problem if Itachi dies, simply because I want to know more about his spiral into madness. I suppose that's the analytical manga reader in me, but I still like him as a character. :/ As far as the fight goes, I'm also a bit anxious about it. I'm sure it'll end up ranking high on the list of awesome series fights (maybe even as great as Rock Lee vs. Gaara), but we'll just have to wait and see when it comes around.[/color][/size]

[color=darkblue][size=1]You really can't get more urban than [b]MBQ,[/b] though I don't consider that to be a gum-breaker manga. Other than that... I can't think of any right off hand, but I'll be sure to look around. I'm sure that TokyoPop has something along that line, though it might end up being an OEL.[/color][/size]

[color=darkblue][size=1]I never said I thought the fight was over, lol. I was just commenting on how crazy it's been so far. Like you (and most people who've read this far into the series), there's no way the fight between Uchihas can end so quickly: it's just not possible. However, since Jump has gone into its New Year's hiatus, we'll have to wait a bit longer to see what Itachi's going to pull next.[/color][/size]

[color=darkblue][size=1]I reckon that Ikillion has the right idea on this. If Tobi so happened to be Madara himself, that would mean he perfected the Ultimate Jutsu (i.e. immortality) even before Snakes did. While that wouldn't be all that shocking at this point, I wouldn't put it past Kishi. I really don't know what to expect now. By the way, Uchiha fight = lolwut? Those 16 pages went damn fast and I'm still not sure I caught everything. Godmodding powers, GO.[/color][/size]

[color=darkblue][size=1]I was originally imagining something along the same line, James (and I still very much am), but I do think that this has a lot of potential as well. Although, like Shy and others, I'm worried about how the courtroom proceedings are to play out. I suppose it would take considerable thought, but I don't know...[/color][/size]

[color=darkblue][size=1]So progress has finally been made. I'm glad to see that this is finally going somewhere. Though I am worried a bit about the courtroom scenes, in that I'm wondering how they would work. I mean, I know that the prosecution would likely write out the whole sequence of events with examinations and such, but will the "overseers," for lack of better term, be handling the defense, or will that be up to the players? Seems a bit dodgy at the moment, at least in my head. The thought of awakened Pokémon also comes to mind (think Rocket-Dan's Meowth here). Will all Pokémon be that way? If so, are they allowed on the police force (and by association, available to play)? Those are the only things that spring to mind right now, but I would definitely love to be involved with something like this, either playing or helping to formulate things. I wasn't a PokéMod for nothing back in the day, lol. ;p[/color][/size]

[color=darkblue][size=1]Has anyone else noticed the slightly perverted level of obsession Pein apparently has with Jiraiya? I mean, think about it. For Pein to go and track down five different shinobi that Jiraiya has had contact with in the past, simply to control their bodies... It's more than a little creepy. I do realize who I'm talking about here, but even among the villains that we've had so far, the only one that really comes close in my mind to that level is Ol' Snakes. (It didn't help matters much what with the whole snake body thing. *shudder*) Anyway, I agree that it was nice of Kishimoto to give us a glimpse into what everyone really wants to see last week before focusing so heavily on Pein vs. Jiraiya again. Hopefully he'll stop beating around the bush next week so we can actually see the end of the fight before the Christmas break hits Jump.[/color][/size]

[color=darkblue][size=1]Techinically, since this is a thread about story-writing and not manga itself (as manga involves, you know, the eventual inclusion of art and such), its proper home would be in Anthology. However, since you're a writer looking for something to write about, I would suggest that you post in the [thread=56777]Artist & Writer Recruiting Thread[/thread], since it can be used for that purpose as well. I'm going to shut this thread down, but please feel free to repost your offer there. [b]Thread Closed[/b][/color][/size]

[color=darkblue][size=1]Kishimoto is baiting us with an apparent end to the fight nearing, but know him, he's planned it so that the Sasuke vs. Naruto vs. Itachi battle won't be able to start running until after the holidays. Whoo. I daresay it's getting worse than the filler arcs in the anime.[/color][/size]

[color=darkblue][size=1]It damn well better have been, the way things are going now. ¬_¬ I agree that I'm happy that Jiraiya is getting fleshed out a little bit, but truth be told, I've been over Pein since the first chapter he showed himself to be a cookie-cutter villian. Call me when the Brothers Whoop*** start going at it, please.[/color][/size]

[color=darkblue][size=1]I've always been quite interested in the Pokémon idea, but I never heard anything about it from anyone after it was mentioned the first time. It's nice to know that it's still alive in the recesses of people's minds besides my own, lol. As for my own ideas, I'm in the same boat as Jeh, but I'll likely have time to do something with them soonish.[/color][/size]

[color=darkblue][size=1]Funnily enough, I thought almost the exact same thing when I came to the end of the chapter, lol. Anyway, I'll admit that this hasn't been the strongest showing of creative ingenuity that we've seen from Kishimoto. However, we can look at this as actually seeing more of Jiraiya's repertoire before he dies. There were a lot of characters I would have loved to see more of what they were capable of doing (i.e. Sarutobi and Minato), but Kishimoto never really dived into the old monkey when he was alive and we've only ever been able to see about Minato through various limited flashbacks. So, I'm viewing this as more of a positive thing than anything else. It's better to find out what they can do through shoddy writing than not find out anything at all.[/color][/size]

[quote name='Tatsubei Yagyu'][FONT="Comic Sans MS"][COLOR="Navy"]Of all the things he could summon, where the hell did an iguana come from? I'd think the animal companion of a god would be a little more majestic. XD[/FONT][/COLOR][/QUOTE] [color=darkblue][size=1]Actually, it's a chameleon. Not a reference to Pein himself at all. ¬_¬ Anyway, from what I remember of a couple of chapters back, Sasuke and one of Naruto's shadow clones had met up. Sasuke destroyed it and now Naruto and the gang know where he is and are trying to intercept. From what one can assume, that should be an interesting battle, what with the team Sasuke has managed to assemble. As far as the whole argument as to where the series is going, I'll agree that it's starting to fall apart a little bit. I'm really thinking that Kishimoto decided to reveal too many things at once in this arc. However, given the current battle Jiraiya is in, it seems fitting that he's the one that should reveal what happened in Naruto's past, since he's the father figure that knows the most about it (even Iruka doesn't know that much, most likely). With Pein himself, I've already said that he's disappointed me greatly and I mean that. There was a lot of potential to his motives and to have it revealed to be something like that, I can't help but feel a little cheated. But now that it has been revealed, I too am wondering to what aim Tobi is using him and the others and how Pein managed to gather the other Akatsuki (and also why Tobi wasn't brought in until after Sasori died; if he's the leader, shouldn't he be keeping a closer eye on the group?). But, as Matt said, it's these little things that make you keep reading. Hence why ther series will never die. --;[/color][/size]

[color=darkblue][size=1]So. Turns out that Pein's a complete and total delusional idiot. WHO WAS SURPRISED? :/ But is all seriousness, I thought the guy was screwed up in the head before, but holy hell, man. He's effectively creating the Naruto Universe's version of the H-Bomb and saying "O hay guys, I gots this jutsu that can destroy teh worldz. You can has." (Forgive the LOLcatness of that statement. It's late and I think it's cute.) And he seriously think this can stop wars. While Tobi's in the background going "LAWL." You disappoint me, Pein. Seriously. (Also, did anyone else think the random Jiraiya slapstick at the end of the chapter was weird? Oo; )[/color][/size]

[color=darkblue][size=1]Has the number of school shootings gone up in the past coule of years? Somewhat. Has the amount of violence increased in schools? Yes and no. Where I went to school, violence was pretty commonplace. We had at least a fight everyday in each of the schools that I went to. And I do mean knockdown, drag-out fights, by the way. Then there was the riot in my junior year of high school. That was pretty awesome. ¬_¬ I believe that the levels of extremes that some kids are going to nowadays has gone up, if anything at all. I remember growing up that we really didn't have anything like bomb threats, but we did have to deal with guns and things of that nature. As far as the amount of violence that happened before some of the more recent major incidents happened, I'm not so sure. True, that's largely because I don't have the statistics sitting right in front of me to reference, but I also don't think that "normal" (for lack of better term) violence is really on the rise. I could be completely wrong on this, but that's what I think.[/color][/size]

[color=darkblue][size=1]I'm not so sure about that, really. I mean, I could understand why there would be some form of rule against it, but I'm sure that the Hidden Villages also have the customs where they send upper-level ninja to other allied villages to harbor good will and other things. It's a common practice in war states, I've noticed. Though, it was obvious that Orochimaru and Tsunade were against it, so it might have been reported and Jiraiya simply did it, anyway. There's at least one person who has a soft spot and breaks the rules for a reason when the opportunity presents itself (i.e. Sarutobi, Minato, Obito, Naruto), so I wouldn't be surprised if that's the case.[/color][/size]

[color=darkblue][size=1]Hey, guys, try to keep talk about the anime to the Anime Lounge thread, 'kay? There's a reason it's there. ^_~[/color][/size]

[color=darkblue][size=1]I don't know, really. I suppose what you're both saying makes the most sense, but I guess I was just thrown of by what Nagato looked like. I didn't think about the body shifting at all. Of course, I did read the chapter at about 3:00 a.m., so that might have contributed to my seeming stupidity, lol.[/color][/size]

[color=darkblue][size=1]Well, this chapter cleared up a few things, I suppose. Then again, it opened up a whole new list of questions. I've been wondering for a while why two Rain ninja would have been trained by Jiraiya, but I suppose it makes sense, given that it appears Team Sannin was stationed in the Rain Country for a while. However, my main beef now is with Nagato. It's obvious that he's Tobi, but I'm trying to work out how he could possibly be connected to Madara Uchiha. The only thing I can possibly think of is a possible branch off from the Uchiha family that went off to the Rain Country. However, it could also be that Nagato developed a split personality, one of which thinking that he actually is Madara Uchiha. There's a lot of possibilities, really. As far as the plot goes, a lot of things can work out. I guess we'll have to wait to find out what happens. Though, one thing I'm wondering about... Why did Jiraiya think the Rain kids were dead? And why did he have a "WTF?!" moment when he saw Nagato's eyes? Hm...[/color][/size]

[quote name='Gavin'][SIZE="1"]? I get the feeling Kakashi might start to get worried about a future confrontation with Sasuke.[/SIZE][/QUOTE] [color=darkblue][size=1]...That would make me cry. I mean that. I would then never read Naruto again. Seriously. Anyway, what you're saying does make a bit of sense. We all know Jiraiya is pretty much bound to die (and I will be absolutely gob-smacked if he does make it through), but if does turn out that this is the third case of a student killing his master, then methinks Kishimoto goes a bit overboard trying to drive a point home.[/color][/size]

[color=darkblue][size=1]Or you can check on the ever-fabulous theOtaku.com. ^_~ Gia posted an article the other day saying that the folks over at [as] confirmed the rumor. Death Note will be starting on Oct. 20.[/color][/size]

[color=darkblue][size=1]Hm. Well Naruto seems to have finally come across Sasuke, which will likely end up with a delay to the Sasuke vs. Itachi fight (yay for Kishimoto stalls!) and it appears that Konan, Pein and Jiraiya have a past together. All in all, a very interesting chapter. What's more interesting to me, though, is that Pein has taken on... well, I guess one could call it "Deidara form." This makes me wonder what he could possibly do. If he can also mimic Deidara's techniques in this form, that would be bad news in a lot of ways, though my gut is telling me it'll get a lot worse than that. Thoughts?[/color][/size]

[color=darkblue][size=1]...Wait. What kind of teacher accepts web articles over book citations? lol Anyway, as far as articles of those kind go, I would suggest doing some digging on ICv2. They usually cover the manga trends in Japan at some point and should have an article or two about sales numbers somwhere.[/color][/size]

[color=darkblue][size=1][url=http://web-japan.org/trends/arts/art060530.html]An article from Trends in Japan about manga taking to cell phones to keep pace with the times.[/url] [url=http://www.reuters.com/article/lifestyleMolt/idUST29046320070522]An article from Reuters about how Japan created a Nobel prize for manga.[/url] Try looking up manga cafés, too. Anyone who says manga is not popular in Japan is silly.[/color][/size]

[color=darkblue][size=1]Well, the reason that people aren't spazzing about what's going to happen in regards to Sasuke and Itachi is because it's obvious that Kishimoto is going to hold it off until the Pein vs. Jiraiya battle is over. No point working yourself into a frenzy over something that's obviously weeks away. As far as Naruto goes, I'm thinking that the Rasenshuriken is just about enough for now. Truth be told, I think he ran off again without being fully healed, so anything he likely tries now will probably hurt him worse in the long run. Of course, there has to be a point where he is informed of both his ability to use "that jutsu" and just who his father is (come to think of it, Naruto's never mentioned his parents ever, though this is probably because he was just told growing up that his parents died when he was a baby and never brought it up again). When it comes down to Tobito (I've finally broken down and decided to start calling him that), he's likely glaring at the statue of the First Hokage. It said somewhere in 370 that the First was the one that took Madara out, though apparently, he didn't do a good job of it. Then again, Narutoland is also known as "the world where death doesn't necessarily make you dead," so it's not surprising. To be honest, I wouldn't be surprised if someone suddenly summoned the Third and just screwed with everyone. :/[/color][/size]